ALG's Daily Grind: Weak petrodollar threatens economy

Feb. 23, 2012

Weak petrodollar threatens economy

It will not take much for this house of cards to fall given its dependence on 80-year old monarchs in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere to continue transacting oil in dollars.

Video: A Look At What Obama's "Economic Recovery" Has Done For Shopping Malls

In the 1980s, the shopping mall was the hip hangout. Millions flowed through these buildings during those years. Now they are turning into ghost towns.

Justice Ginsburg substitutes Constitution for foreign buffet

Supreme Court Justice sworn to uphold Constitution recommends alternative foreign models for Egypt to consider, uses foreign law to reach court decisions.

The real D.C. lobbyists

An estimated 15 percent of the civilian federal workforce, or 300,000, live in Washington, D.C.

TheTeaParty.net - The Future of American Freedom

Dear Patriot,

Have you resigned to handing control over every decision you make to the federal government?  Are you resigned to worse medical care at higher prices?  Have you accepted the inevitability of Obamacare? 

If the federal government is allowed to takeover healthcare in our country, the Constitution is, for all intents and purposes, nullified. Every decision we make impacts our health and the potential cost of our healthcare. The car you drive, the food you eat, even how much time you spend outdoors all impact the potential burden of your healthcare under Obamacare and the government will have a financial interest and the perceived authority to regulate every aspect of your life. 

Obamacare is a scourge upon this nation and must be the primary focus of the Tea Party movement in 2012.  In March the Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments on the constitutionality of Obamacare, and if the court decides to uphold the constitution, the law will be struck down.  Unfortunately the court has four committed liberals who will rubber-stamp their messiah's power grab, four justices who are consistent strict-constructionists who are likely to strike down the law, and one who revels in being the deciding vote. 

We are currently in the preliminary stages of planning a massive rally outside of the Supreme Court when they will weigh Obamacare.  If we can put together a huge showing, it could swing Justice Kennedy towards the constitution and solidify support among Justices Thomas, Scalia, Roberts, and Alito. 

Putting together an event large enough to make an impact is going to be a challenge. It is going to take logistics to make sure everyone who can be there, is, and it is going to take financial resources to make sure that the scale of this event reflects the dire nature of this threat to American freedom. 

Help us get started by making a generous contribution today! 

Thank You,

Todd Cefaratti
Freedom Organizer

To make a contribution by mail, please click here or
address to: TheTeaParty.net | 1701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW,
Suite 300, PMB #433 | Washington, DC 20006
Toll-free:  866-928-6555

TheTeaParty.net - How Well Do You Know Our Constitution?

Below please find a special message from one of our sponsors, Hillsdale College. They have important information to share with you.  Thank you.

Please note that the following message reflects the opinions and representations of our sponsor alone, and not necessarily the opinion of TheTeaParty.net. 

---

Constitution 101: The Meaning and History of the Constitution Available to you, your family, your friends, and all Americans. Begins February 20, 2012 – Sign Up TODAY! Dear Supporter of Liberty, For the first time ever, Hillsdale College is offering a no-cost 10 week online Constitution course based on the course Hillsdale College students must complete, in order to graduate. I am proud to be teaching part of our NEW Constitution 101 Course and hope YOU will be one of my students! Many in our country, particularly those in elected leadership, have strayed from the principles of individual liberty and limited government that the Constitution upholds. That’s why Hillsdale College has launched one of its most ambitious undertakings yet . . . ["Constitution 101: The Meaning and History of the Constitution"] This course on the U.S. Constitution will be offered online and at no charge to everyone who wants to understand and defend the timeless principles of liberty upon which our nation was founded! "Constitution 101" begins on February 20, 2012, and concludes the week of April 30. It will cover such topics as the Declaration of Independence and its connection to the Constitution, how the Constitution is structured to protect individual liberty and ensure good government, the crisis of constitutional government faced by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, and its modern challenges during the "Progressive" era. It is my honor to teach the first class, "Introduction: The American Mind," and the final class, "The Recovery of the Constitution." All of the classes will be taught by Hillsdale College professors — the top teachers in their field and the same ones who instruct our students here on Hillsdale’s campus. Constitution 101 Schedule Introduction: The American Mind Larry P. Arnn Monday, February 20 The Declaration of Independence Thomas G. West Monday, February 27 The Problem of Majority Tyranny David Bobb Monday, March 5 Separation of Powers: Preventing Tyranny Kevin Portteus Monday, March 12 Separation of Powers: Ensuring Good Government Will Morrisey Monday, March 19 Religion, Morality, and Property David Bobb Monday, March 26 Crisis of Constitutional Government Will Morrisey Monday, April 2 Abraham Lincoln and the Constitution Kevin Portteus Monday, April 9 The Progressive Rejection of the Founding Ronald J. Pestritto Monday, April 16 The Recovery of the Constitution Larry P. Arnn Monday, April 23 [Go here to register for "Constitution 101" now] As Hillsdale’s president, I have devoted my life to education, helping students understand the meaning and history of the American founding. Here at Hillsdale, we know that can only come about through a close reading and study of our nation’s founding documents, particularly the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. In recent years, Hillsdale has worked hard to expand its educational outreach, teaching citizens and policy makers (especially members of Congress and their staffs) about the timeless truths contained in our nation’s founding documents. This is a direct response to the way the Constitution is being ignored and violated by our government. After all, the Constitution is the supreme law of our nation, the framework by which our country should be governed. Its principles and structures are responsible for the greatest government in human history. Like you, I see the coming months as pivotal in the history of our country. And I am deeply concerned about the future. Will we as a nation succumb to bureaucratic despotism, or will we take a stand for liberty? The century-old attack on the Constitution, that continues today, has threatened to undermine our hard-won liberties and is reducing American citizens to subservience to an ever-expanding federal bureaucracy. [Please go here to enroll in "Constitution 101"] Our choice of whether to recover the principles of liberty and limited government under the Constitution will determine if we will remain self-governing citizens or become dependent subjects ruled by unelected bureaucrats. That's why Hillsdale College is committed to restoring and reviving the public's understanding of the Constitution, once again making it the central focus of American government. As you probably know—especially if you listen to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, or Mark Levin on the radio—Hillsdale College is one of the few colleges or universities in the country that requires all of its students, regardless of their major, to complete a one-semester course on the U.S. Constitution. Over the years, many Hillsdale friends, even those who never attended college here, have commented to me: "Dr. Arnn, I wish I could take Hillsdale’s Constitution course." In response to these requests, this past year, for the first time ever, Hillsdale College offered a condensed "Introduction to the Constitution" online course at no charge. Frankly, I wasn’t sure what sort of a response a course like this would have. However, more than 180,000 people from all over the United States registered for this program. I was thrilled, not only by the reaction, but at what it indicates: Americans are willing and eager to study and defend the founding principles that made our country so prosperous! This re-awakening of national interest in the Constitution comes not a minute too soon. My Request to You ACTION STEP #1: Be one of the first to sign up for "Constitution 101" by completing the course REGISTRATION form. ACTION STEP #2: Please include the best donation you can make to help Hillsdale College fund this vital project. The course, available at no charge to the public, is not without cost to Hillsdale. The College has already invested much to make this landmark course a reality. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been committed to create and prepare the course for one of the most far-reaching webcasts in our history . . . and to mount a massive email, radio, and mail marketing campaign to enroll an initial ONE MILLION course registrants. To make "Constitution 101" available nationwide will cost nearly $1,000,000. While a monumental expenditure for Hillsdale College, it must be made if we are to reach as many citizens and elected officials as possible during 2012. ACTION STEP #3: Please forward this email to friends and family and encourage them to enroll in "Constitution 101." OUR CHALLENGE With your help, Hillsdale College is dedicated to returning the U. S. Constitution to its rightful place at the center of American political life. If our republic does not reverse course, we may not be able to reclaim the liberty that has been lost, and we will lose the liberty we still have. Hillsdale College has accepted this challenge, and our commitment to making "Constitution 101" available to citizens nationwide is proof. But we need your help to make this possible. . . You know, before coming to Hillsdale, I often wondered how a small liberal arts college in rural southern Michigan could, as Ronald Reagan once described it, "cast such a long shadow." The answer is simple. It can be found in adherence to our motto: Pursuing Truth and Defending Liberty since 1844. This phrase defines the purpose of the College, and gives life to the education we provide our students – and potentially all Americans! That commitment has made it possible for Hillsdale to accomplish what many considered unachievable for a school of our size, including: Proudly publishing Imprimis, a no-cost monthly speech digest that promotes liberty, for 40 consecutive years—now with a circulation of over 2.1 million subscribers; Educating our students independent of any and all government taxpayer subsidy—even in the form of grants and loans; and Establishing our Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship in the heart of Washington, D.C. One of its chief purposes is educational outreach to our elected officials and their staffs on the principles of American constitutionalism. Hillsdale College has worked tirelessly to safeguard the principles of liberty by educating citizens about the Constitution. [Go here to register and donate] And Hillsdale has done it all without a dime of taxpayer subsidy. In order to protect the integrity of its mission and prevent intrusive government regulation, Hillsdale College accepts no taxpayer funding whatsoever. We are proud to remain steadfast in this policy at a time when almost every other institution of "higher learning" is increasingly dependent on government support. Thank you for supporting the mission of Hillsdale College. Before I close, I would like to ask you please to consider honoring Hillsdale with a special gift to support the vital work of Hillsdale College at such an important time in our nation's history. Your generosity at this critical time will not just help underwrite the cost of making "Constitution 101" available nationwide. It will also support all the other ways that Hillsdale College educates Americans to be defenders of liberty and self-government. MY GIFT FOR YOU In appreciation of your donation of $100 or more, I will send you a complimentary copy of my new hardbound book. Its title is: THE FOUNDERS' KEY: THE DIVINE AND NATURAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE DECLARATION AND THE CONSTITUTION AND WHAT WE RISK BY LOSING IT In this book I explain the unique connection between America's two most important documents, how that connection has been severed today, and why we must repair it for the sake of freedom. If your gift is $500 or more, you become eligible to have your name (or the name of a loved one you would like recognize) engraved on a brick on the Liberty Walk located on the Hillsdale campus. But even a gift of $25 will help ensure that Hillsdale can continue to reach millions with the message of liberty via Imprimis . . . educate our elected officials and their staffs at our Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship . . . run Hillsdale-sponsored events and lectures in cities all across America . . . and continue to educate the next generation of leaders without any and all government subsidy. Your gift will help make it all possible. And for that I am grateful. [Please go here to donate] For liberty to prevail, Americans must come to understand and defend the Constitution. And they must do so urgently. Please help Hillsdale College educate citizens on how to revive the Constitution and preserve America's tradition of individual liberty and limited government. Thank you for supporting Hillsdale College. Yours for liberty, Dr. Larry P. Arnn President Hillsdale College P.S. PLEASE REMEMBER to do these three important things: Make the most generous tax-deductible contribution you can afford. And remember, as thanks for your gift of $100 or more, you will receive a copy of my new book, The Founders' Key. Enroll NOW in our new "Constitution 101: the Meaning and History of the Constitution" online course, which begins on February 20, 2012. Forward this email to any of your friends or family who you think would enjoy Constitution 101. Thank you so much for standing with Hillsdale and the Constitution . . . and for doing everything in your power to defend liberty in America in 2012.

ALG - Obama repackages same contraceptive rule, still violates religious liberty of institutions

Feb. 10, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today responded to Barack Obama's decision to move forward with a controversial regulation requiring religious-affiliated employers to provide contraception in their plans:

"Despite overwhelming objections to his regulation, Obama has announced he is moving forward with his regulation forcing religious-affiliated employers like hospitals, schools, and charities to provide contraception in their plans without modification, giving them one year to figure out how to implement it. He is doing so based on the promise that he will issue a new regulation later this year that supposedly responds to the objections.

"But according to a White House fact sheet, that new regulation that has yet to be issued and is merely conceptual, would still require that religious-affiliated organizations' insurance providers offer contraceptive coverage 'free of charge'.

"The White House merely wants the religious institutions to pretend with them they are not funding this coverage, when the reality is they will be. This is unconscionable. Now the President is attempting to get religious institutions to be complicit in this lie, forcing his rule and will upon them. This is wrong and it must be rescinded immediately.

"The White House is claiming it will be paid for by the insurance companies themselves. But since the employees will not have to pay an additional premium for that coverage nor the religious-affiliated employers given a discount on their premiums to offset the costs, and the monies under the plans are fungible, the net effect will be that the religious institutions that are paying the premiums will still be paying for the contraceptives.

"As a result, it remains a violation of the First Amendment and an affront to religious liberty." 

### 

Americans for Limited Government is a non-partisan, nationwide network committed to advancing free market reforms, private property rights and core American liberties. For more information on ALG please call us at 703-383-0880 or visit our website at www.GetLiberty.org.

NHDP - Democratic Lawmakers Decry Attempted GOP Takeover of Medicare in NH

Concord, NH - House and Senate Democrats stood united in opposition to the reckless Republican takeover of Medicare in New Hampshire: HB1560.  The bill would turn Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program(CHIP) and other federally funded health care initiatives into a block grant and attempt to nullify federal health care laws.

"In short, this bill will end Medicare as we know it in New Hampshire," said Senator Sylvia Larsen.  "Surely you don't have to be a doctor to see this is a disastrous plan for health care in our state."

The bill proposes that New Hampshire fundamentally alter not only the state's Medicare and Medicaid programs but potentially all health care services for which there is federal funding.  Collectively they would be replaced with a block grant system with full discretion for distributing those funds and determining who is eligible for them in the hands of the legislature.  In tough economic times when Medicaid participation typically increases, New Hampshire taxpayers would see their tax rates skyrocket. 

"HB1560 is not only fiscally irresponsible, it could also endanger the health of New Hampshire's senior citizens, disabled and low income residents by removing the requirements to cover proven treatments and disease prevention services.  At least 350,000 New Hampshire residents would lose the stability of their Medicare and Medicaid coverage," said Representative Cindy Rosenwald. 

While sponsored by members of Republican leadership in both the House and Senate, HB1560 was written by ALEC an extreme out of state special interest group.  In opposition to the United State Constitution the bill text reads, states "may suspend by legislation the operation of all federal laws, rules, regulations, and orders regarding health care." 

"This bill is part of a national, ideological driven, agenda to shrink government regardless of the consequences," said Representative Gary Richardson.  "Over the past 12 months we have watched first hand as the Tea Party Republicans have imposed taxes on hospitals providing Medicaid services and cut state services resulting in the lost of nearly 2,000 jobs.  This is not the New Hampshire way."

For a complete copy of the legislator's remarks at today's press conference email press@nhdp.org.